This application discloses an invention which is related, generally and in various embodiments, to a hub adapter and a central tire inflation system including the hub adapter.
Central tire inflation (CTI) systems which are utilized to control the air pressure in tires mounted to wheels of a vehicle are known in the art. In general, CTI systems include a compressor or other source of air, individual valve assemblies for each tire (or set of tires) which control the flow or air from the compressor to the tires (inflation) and from the tire back to the inflation system on the vehicle or directly to the atmosphere (deflation), and an air passage system which carries air from the compressor to the valve assemblies to the tires (inflation) and from the tires to the valve assemblies via the vehicle inflation system to the atmosphere (deflation). The portion of the air passage system from the compressor to the valve assemblies is commonly referred to as the hub side of the air passage system and the portion of the air passage system from the valve assemblies to the tire chambers is commonly referred to as the tire side of the air passage system.
The valve assemblies are typically mounted to an outside face of the corresponding wheels, and each valve assembly typically includes a valve (e.g., an actuator, a positioner and a body) and two air passageways connected to the valve. For each valve assembly, one of the air passageways typically extends from the valve to an outer surface of the valve assembly and is utilized to connect the valve to the hub side of the corresponding air passage system. The other air passageway extends from the valve to an outer surface of the valve assembly and is utilized to connect the valve to the tire side of the air passage system.
Typically, the air passage system includes piping, tubing, hosing or the like from the compressor and central manifold to each hub of the vehicle. The hub end of the piping, tubing, hosing or the like is known as a hub port. In some air passage systems piping, tubing, hosing or the like is utilized to connect the hub ports to the corresponding valve assemblies, and are also utilized to connect the valve assemblies to corresponding tire chambers. In other air passage systems air passageways within the wheels are utilized to connect the hub ports to the valve assemblies, and are also utilized to connect the valve assemblies to corresponding tire chambers.
A host of different valve assemblies are commercially available, and it is common for one valve assembly to have air passageways terminate at different relative locations at the exterior surface of the valve assembly than those of a second valve assembly. Thus, when a wheel with a hub side internal air passageway and/or a tire side air passageway has been designed and manufactured, the hub side internal air passageway has generally been configured to align with the hub side air passageway of a specific valve assembly when the valve assembly is connected to the outside face of the wheel and/or the tire side internal air passageway has generally been configured to align with the tire side air passageway of the specific valve assembly when the valve assembly is connected to the outside face of the wheel.
For various reasons, a party may wish to use a particular valve assembly and/or a particular wheel. However, because of the one-to-one correspondence between a specific wheel design (a specific configuration of the wheel's hub side and/or tire side internal air passageways) and a specific valve assembly, a corresponding valve assembly may not be currently available for the desired wheel. Similarly, a corresponding wheel may not be currently available for the desired valve assembly. In such instances, the party has often had to compromise because the time and/or cost associated with designing and manufacturing a new wheel and/or a new valve assembly has been too long and/or too expensive.